fbpx
Monday, December 23, 2024
30.1 C
Abuja

NBTE, Other Stakeholders Propose Conversion of HND Program To BTech

Stakeholders in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, sector have proposed the transition of Higher National Diploma, HND, to Bachelor of Technology, BTech.

The stakeholders said this in Abuja on Tuesday at a One-Day National Dialogue on the Future of Higher National Diploma, HND, in the Nigerian educational landscape.

They also called on the Federal Government to assent to the bill which sought to remove the dichotomy between Bachelors degree and HND.

The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje said the dialogue was apt as it would foster an opportunity to address pressing issues that had persisted for decades.

“Despite the pivotal role it plays, the HND qualification, earned after five years of rigorous study and internship, continues to face unwarranted discrimination within the Nigerian public service.

“Even in the face of concerted efforts, including proposed legislation and appeals from students and staff unions, the discrimination against HND holders persists,” he said.

Mr Bugaje said that earlier this year, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, had highlighted a 22-year-old issue regarding HND Pharmacy Technology, which was effectively resolved by the Minister of State for Education.

Also, the President, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, Philip Ogunsipe said the discrimination was basically a function of societal acceptance of HND.

Mr Ogunsipe said for the problems to be solved, the discrimination should be taken care of in the bill before being assented into law.

“Once the bill is assented to and the discrimination in the HND programme is resolved and finally passed into law, we will not have any challenge with this age long problem,” he said.

Mr Ogunsipe also explained that the polytechnics sector must think outside the box and find a way of having programmes exclusively run by polytechnics.

He urged the NBTE to strengthen its supervisory role saying that infrastructure in some polytechnics were in awful state and needed urgent attention.

In the same vein, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu commended NBTE for taking the bull by the horns by bringing to national consciousness, the need to embrace the global movement for skills acquisition by HND holders.

Sununu expressed hope that the dialogue would come up with reasons that would not only change the age-long belief on the so- called superiority of other qualifications over HND.

He said it would also show that Nigeria, more than ever before needed HND holders for national development.

The President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Shammah Kpanja said the discrimination is not only on students or academics but affects the sector in its entirety.

Kpanja explained that if the polytechnics must be attractive, transition of HND to BTech must be welcomed.

He said that the Nigerian polytechnics must offer BTech strictly for HND students while also saying that the certificate must be specialised.

In the same vein, the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa said the sector must revisit the recommendations of the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in 2017.

“COHEADS recommended the conversation and upgrading of polytechnics to campuses of their consummate universities while the largest polytechnics in each of the geo-political zones be converted into full fledged universities of technology.

“In so doing it will be a game changer and I believe to achieve the purpose, HND ought to be scrapped while the National Diploma should be retained as qualifying certificate for entrance into new and old university of technology,” Olaopa said.

He added that this would help resolve the lingering professional war between BSC and HND without totally rendering and distorting their originating mandate.

SourceNAN

Hot this week

Kwara Resident Dies in Police Custody After Arrest Over ₦220k Debt

A resident of Ilorin, capital of Kwara state, Jimoh...

Lookman Marks CAF Award With Goal in Atlanta Victory

Ademola Lookman scored the second goal in Atalanta’s 3-2...

Nigerian Government Declares 25th, 26th And 1st January Public Holiday

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th...

AIICO Insurance Opens 2025 IT Graduate Trainee Programme

AIICO Insurance plc is the leading player in the...

Dangote Group Starts Recruitment of New Employees For 2025

Dangote Group is one of Nigeria’s most diversified business...

Latest

Kwara Resident Dies in Police Custody After Arrest Over ₦220k Debt

A resident of Ilorin, capital of Kwara state, Jimoh...

Lookman Marks CAF Award With Goal in Atlanta Victory

Ademola Lookman scored the second goal in Atalanta’s 3-2...

Nigerian Government Declares 25th, 26th And 1st January Public Holiday

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th...

AIICO Insurance Opens 2025 IT Graduate Trainee Programme

AIICO Insurance plc is the leading player in the...

Dangote Group Starts Recruitment of New Employees For 2025

Dangote Group is one of Nigeria’s most diversified business...

Application Opens For IBEDC 2025 Recruitment

Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc – Headquartered in...

Application Opens For Heirs Life – Tony Elumelu Foundation Recruitment 2025

Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is African private-sector-led philanthropy in...

Dangote Praises Tinubu for Crude-for-Naira Swap Deal’s Impact

President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote has commended...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Section

spot_imgspot_img

MORE FROM CHATNEWSTV

President Tinubu Appoints New UBEC Executive Secretary

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Aisha Garba, an international development specialist, as the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education, UBEC. “Garba, a Senior Education Specialist...

Federal Government Renames University of Abuja in Honour of Yakubu Gowon

The Federal Government has officially renamed the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, in recognition of the immense contributions of retired General...

German federal government and states agree digital education package

Germany's government have agreed a package that provides funding for equipping schools with laptops and modern IT infrastructure for the next six years, Education...

Wike Supports Amendment of TETFund Act to Include Nigerian Law School

Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister Nyesom Wike has backed ongoing calls for the amendment of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, to accommodate the...

ASUU Chief Warns Against VAT Hike, Slams Tax Reform Proposals

ABUJA, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, has cautioned the federal government against increasing...

UBEC Calls for Shift in Teaching Method

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Hamid Bobboyi, has called for attitudinal change by teachers and school administrators. Mr Bobboyi made...

Peter Obi Advocates for Visionary Leadership and Education at AUN Lecture

YOLA — Former presidential candidate Peter Obi delivered an inspiring address as the keynote speaker at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola...

Peter Obi to Speak at Convocation of Atiku’s American University

The Labour Party presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, will, on Saturday, deliver the convocation lecture of American University of...

NECO Expands Global Reach, Accredits More Foreign Schools for Exams

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has granted accreditation to additional foreign schools for conducting the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education...